Piano-action.



No. 732,188. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903. v

R. M. HUTGH'VINSON.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 9. 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHBET 1- WW M V #1 4M: s vs nzns IDIPHOKLLITNOY, msmuemu u c No. 732,188. PATENTED JUNE 30,1903. R. M. HU'TGHINSON.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION mum mm; 9. 1902. y no menu. a sums-sum 2.

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Patented June 30, 1903.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 732,188, dated June 30,1903.

Application filed June 9, 1902. Serial No. 110,717. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. HUTOHIN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvementin Piano-Actions; and Ideclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in upright-piano actions, and isespecially designed as an improvement over the construction shown in myPatent No. 419,678, issued January 21, 1890.

The object of my invention is to provide means for taking up the lostmotion between the key and the abstract when the action is adjusted bythe soft pedal. In the ordinary piano-action of the class to which thisrelates when the soft pedal is operated the extension and connectingparts are lifted and the hammer-rail set forward to correspond with themovement of the hammer. In my patent referred to I made use of theswinging extension in combination with an inclined key-' rocker; but therocker was inclined upward from the fulcrum of the key.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure lis a side elevation of a piano-action in its normal position. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same action, showing the position of the partswhen the soft pedal is operated. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing thekey depressed.

In the drawings, A represents the key, provided on its upper edge withan inclined face a, the incline pitching downward toward the inner endof the key.

B represents the extension; B, the wippen.

0 represents the lower half of the actionrail, and this portion of therail is hinged to the upper portion, so as to swing in a horizontaldirection. V

0 represents the extension-guide, pivoted to the rocking action-rail atone end and to the extension at the other end.

D represents the pedal-rod, which is pivoted at (Z to an arm (1 on therocking actionrail and at the upper end to the hammer-rail E, theconstruction being such that when the pedal-rod is lifted it causes therocking portion of the action-rail to swing and likewise causes thehammer-rail to swing upward and inward. The hammer-rail is pivoted ateach end on a rocking arm e, the length of the rocking arm beingsuitable to give to the hammerrail the proper movement.

F represents a felt-padded button set in the lower end of the extensionand at such an angle as to cause the felt face to lie fiat upon theinclined surface a of the key. When the pedal-rod'is operated, therocking action-rail carries the extension outward and causes the buttonF to slide up the incline a of the key to the position shown in Fig. 2.This incline on the key is of such a pitch that it will lift theextension and keep the upper end of the jack G always in contact withthe hammerbutt as the hammer is lifted forward by the movement of theham mer-rail. This arrangement of the parts should be such that thelifting of the extension and the movement of the hammer-rail shall bearthe proper relation to one another to keep the jack and hammer-butt incontact to avoid all lost motion. I

I prefer to use in combination with the incline on the key and the othermechanism described the form of action herein shown, in which theordinary form of back-check is dispensed with and the check 9 isemployed in combination with the inclined face g on the jack, as thecheck mechanism just described holds the hammer in the proper positionat all times through the movement of the parts, as I have described, theother parts of the action operating with my invention in the usualmanner.

What I claim is- 1. In a piano-action, the combination of the movablehammer-rail, the extension B, means for swinging the extension outwardtoward the fulcrum of the key, the key provided with an inclinedsurface, said inclined surface extending downward toward the inner endof 'thekey, and the adjusting-button F set at an angle in the extensionand bearing on said inclined surface, substantially as described. 2. Ina piano-action, the combination of the extensions, means for swingingall the exten 3. In apiano-action, the combination of the swingingextensions, the keys provided with inclined contact-surfaces,adjusting-buttons F set at an angle in the ends of the extensions andbearing on the inclined surfaces of the keys, the wippens, the hammersand hammer-butts, means for setting up the hammers, the back-checks g,and the jacks provided with inclined surfaces g for engaging with thechecks g, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twoWitnesses.

ROBERT M. HUTCHINSON.

WVitnesses:

BERT FULLER, J. A. AMBLER.

